The Honed Ancient Nord Battle Axe is the better-maintained sibling of the Ancient Nord Battle Axe. Where the regular version looks like it spent a few centuries in a crypt (because it did), the honed one deals 21 base damage, a respectable figure for a weapon you cannot forge.
It is a two-handed axe weighing 25 and worth only 50 gold, so it is more of a mid-game workhorse than a treasure. Expect to meet one in the hands of the nastier draugr long before you get to swing it yourself.
Stats
| Type | Battleaxe |
|---|---|
| Skill | Two-handed |
| Material | Ancient Nord |
| Damage | 21 |
| Weight | 25 |
| Value | 50 gold |
| Speed | 0.7 |
| Reach | 1.3 |
| Stagger | 1.15 |
| Critical damage | 10 |
| Add-on | Base game |
| Item ID | 0005BF12 |
Where to find
- Wielded by draugr scourge lords, draugr scourges and draugr overlords.
- These enemies live mainly in Nordic burial grounds and tombs, so clearing old barrows is the way to get one.
- It cannot be crafted at a forge, so looting it is the only way to add one to your collection.
Crafting and upgrading
This weapon cannot be crafted at a forge – you have to find, loot or buy it.
Improving at a grindstone: 1 × 
Steel Ingot. The Arcane Blacksmith perk doubles the improvement.
Compared with other battleaxes
Base stats of all regular (unenchanted) battleaxes in Skyrim, weakest first:
| Weapon | Damage | Weight | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Battleaxe | 16 | 20 | 55 |
| Ancient Nord Battle Axe | 18 | 22 | 28 |
| Steel Battleaxe | 18 | 21 | 100 |
| Orcish Battleaxe | 19 | 25 | 165 |
| Dwarven Battleaxe | 20 | 23 | 300 |
| Elven Battleaxe | 21 | 24 | 520 |
| Honed Ancient Nord Battle Axe | 21 | 25 | 50 |
| Nord Hero Battle Axe | 21 | 20 | 300 |
| Nordic Battleaxe | 21 | 23 | 650 |
| Skyforge Steel Battleaxe | 21 | 21 | 150 |
| Glass Battleaxe | 22 | 25 | 900 |
| Ebony Battleaxe | 23 | 26 | 1585 |
| Stalhrim Battleaxe | 24 | 25 | 2150 |
| Daedric Battleaxe | 25 | 27 | 2750 |
| Dragonbone Battleaxe | 26 | 30 | 3000 |
Tips and notes
- Improve it at a grindstone with a steel ingot.
- Like the other honed draugr weapons, it is reported to benefit from the Dwarven Smithing perk rather than Steel Smithing.
- Pairs thematically with Ancient Nord Armor if you want the full barrow-wight look.
Stats from the Skyrim LE 1.9 master files (Skyrim.esm, record DraugrBattleAxeHoned). Values are base values before perks, smithing improvements and enchantments.